is getting your beer stuck at 1.020 really that bad??

[Beernewb]

I mean, compared to commercial light beers, i have brewed some incredibly tasty beers that i feel are a bit light on the alcohol side due to the dreaded 1.020 haunt. and I'm a big fan of dopplebocks, imperial stouts etc.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I mean, compared to commercial light beers, i have brewed some incredibly tasty beers that i feel are a bit light on the alcohol side due to the dreaded 1.020 haunt. and I'm a big fan of dopplebocks, imperial stouts etc.

What exactly is your question? What recipe are you talking about?

 

[Yooper]

I think it's common (and best tasting) for beers like imperial stouts and dopplebocks to finish high. It's when a blonde ale finishes at 1.020 that is frustrating- too malty sweet, instead of light and crisp and dry. I've done a lot of extract batches in the past, and I had more than a couple that wouldn't go below 1.020 no matter what I tried. Fine for bocks and big ambers, though!

 

[FxdGrMind]

I thought mine was stuck at 1.023.. but it slowly dropped to 1.015 in 3 days with some heat and an initial stir just as I got the temp up to 70 F.

But if you like a thinner beer... who's to say? You Kegging or bottling? Then it might be an issue from what I understand. TIFWIW I'm only a NOOBIE.

 

[Flattop]

FG depends on the type of fermentables in a brew, what did you use, what was your SG? If your SG was 1070 it would be a mean brew that dropped to 1006.

Dextrose
Maltodextrin
Dried malt extract
Liquid malt extract
All grain
All of these things will change the FG as they add different things
Quantities are also important.

I also don't understand the 1020 haunt???
What is that? I have never had a brew stop at that. But yes some beers stop higher than others.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, you can't associate any specific FG with "stuck" without talking about what your recipe is and or what the expectation was. My Barleywine dropped down to 1.024 when I was hoping it was going to stop at 1.030. I was going for 12% instead of 13% ABV.

 

[Beernewb]

my question is in the title

i guess what I'm getting at is that I've always enjoyed high gravity, high alcohol commerical beers, love the Germans and the Belgians...and i guess i always belieed that in order to get big bold flavors, you needed hgher alcohol beers...that is, until i started brewing...

my recipes?

I did a phat tire ale cone that finished around 1.2...it was (three weeks in the carboy)exceptional...probably a bit low in alcohol, but everyone i shared bottles with absolutly loved it...even my best friend from college who had this to say when i first told him i was breweing my own beer--"i've had homebrews before, never any that were any good"--he tried mine on 12/31 and stated" mmm...tastes just iike a micro brew". i consider myself a nano brewer btw..I brew with my ipod...

I did the austin holiday spiced ale...same thing, seemed to finish around 1.20...maybe my hyrometeris broke..lol..and it turned out really nice....4 weeks two days in the carboy.

i just did austin's holiday choc stout last mini mash night...i added some extra unsweetened chocolate and the alcohol boost-my starting gravity came in at 1.070....1.054 per the instructions plus the 1% boost....I should be close, let's see how this finishes...my point is, if it finishes at 1.020, i won't cry....seems to be the number that plagues me and others according to some of the threads and google...

What exactly is your question? What recipe are you talking about?

 

[Beernewb]

FG depends on the type of fermentables in a brew, what did you use, what was your SG? If your SG was 1070 it would be a mean brew that dropped to 1006.

Dextrose
Maltodextrin
Dried malt extract
Liquid malt extract
All grain
All of these things will change the FG as they add different things
Quantities are also important.

I also don't understand the 1020 haunt???
What is that? I have never had a brew stop at that. But yes some beers stop higher than others.

me neither...until a good portion of my beers were getting stuck at 1.020...I figured it was a broken hydrometer...lol..until i googled it...I don't have the threads bookmarked, but many talked about the dreaded 1.020 and being "haunted" by 1.020...

it's all good...as are my beers...a bit less alcohol won't kill me and like i posted above, im a historical fan of big malty sweet beers.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Thanks for clarifying. If you have a bunch of beers that finish high, but you are happy with them, then I wouldn't change anything as long as you don't run into bottle bombs. I have had a few beers finish a couple of points high and they were just fine, but I didn't run into any greater differences from what I can remember (I am a lousy note taker)

If you do want to lower your final gravity, I'd first check the hydrometer to ensure it's properly calibrated, and if it is, take a good look at your process to figure out what could be causing the high FGs. Most likely it's insufficient yeast pitched, insufficient aeration or inadequate temperature control. But like I said, if you like your beers the way they come out now, and you are not running into gushers or bottle bombs, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Beernewb]

thanks, yeah, I agree, it's probably lack of a starter since i generally use wyeast right out of the smak pack, but after 24 hours swelling on my apple tv. I'll check into the hydrometer too, good suggestion.

Thanks for clarifying. If you have a bunch of beers that finish high, but you are happy with them, then I wouldn't change anything as long as you don't run into bottle bombs. I have had a few beers finish a couple of points high and they were just fine, but I didn't run into any greater differences from what I can remember (I am a lousy note taker)

If you do want to lower your final gravity, I'd first check the hydrometer to ensure it's properly calibrated, and if it is, take a good look at your process to figure out what could be causing the high FGs. Most likely it's insufficient yeast pitched, insufficient aeration or inadequate temperature control. But like I said, if you like your beers the way they come out now, and you are not running into gushers or bottle bombs, I wouldn't change a thing.